The Tennessee Legislature, which is clearly characterized as a Republican “super majority”, has had a busy 2 year cycle. Since this Legislative session started in January 2019, a year and a half ago, TFA has identified and tracked 127 separate bills of possible interest or impact to gun owners, hunters, shooting enthusiasts, 2nd and 10th Amendment advocates and others. Have we made significant progress on 2nd Amendment issues? We will know soon.

TFA’s bill status and calendar reports are available on the TFA's news post. There are some specific bills to note.

At present, the only bills we are seeing that are on notice for next week are set for June 15 in the House Finance subcommittee.

SB1566/HB1553 (Sen. Hensley and Rep. Griffey) is a TFA supported permitless carry bill that allows open or concealed carry in Tennessee without a permit. The bill was approved by the House Judiciary on June 11 and advances to the House Finance committee (with a million dollar plus “fake” fiscal note). The bill was assigned to Senate Judiciary in January 2020 but that committee has not taken any action on the bill.

SB2300/HB2494 (Sen. Jackson and Rep. VanHuss) passed the House on June 8 and previously passed in the Senate. It should allow a person with a disability to designate one (1) person per year to assist them in hunting and fishing which person would not be required to have a hunting or fishing license to act as a non-hunting, non-fishing assistant.

SB2527/HB2660 (Sen. Stevens and Rep. Todd) would have revised the standards for the use of deadly force relative to whether a collateral civil action could be filed while a criminal investigation or proceedings are pending. The House passed the bill on June 3. The Senate Judiciary delayed the bill to December 1, 2020 effectively killing it.

SB2533/HE2414 (Sen. Southerland and Rep. Eldridge) expands the class of individuals who can hunt on family owned farmlands to include the spouses of children of landowners. House passed on June 9, Senate concurred on June 10.

SB2614/HB2536 (Sen. Hensley and Rep. Doggett) would provide a remedy to individuals when their 2nd Amendment rights are infringed by government officials. Senate Judiciary continued bill to December 1, 2020, effectively killing it. House Calendar and Rules deferred to last calendar which may keep the bill from having a full floor vote in the House.

SB2671/HB2817 (Sen. Johnson and Rep. Lambert) is the much referenced bill proclaimed by Governor Lee as his constitutional carry legislation. It is set for the House Finance committee on June 15. The bill is not scheduled to be heard in the Senate finance committee.

SB2888/HB2661 (Sen. Bailey and Rep. Todd) this bill would have allowed an individual to carry a handgun concealed without a permit. It is set for House Finance subcommittee on June 15. However, the Senate Judiciary deferred the bill to December 1, 2020, effectively killing it.

Please call your legislators regarding your position on these and other bills.   You can identify your legislators and get their contact information on the state’s “Find My Legislator” page.

TFALAC Annual Event - August 9, 2020